Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging Awarded SHIP National Technical Assistance Center Grant

posted 8/21/2020 in Press Releases

Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging (NEI3A) is proud to announce being selected to receive a $6.75 million, five-year grant from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) to continue operating the State Health Insurance Assistance Program National Technical Assistance Center (SHIP TA Center).

The SHIP TA Center provides training, technical assistance, and promotional activities in support of the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) program and 54 SHIP projects nationally (visit www.shiptacenter.org). The SHIP Mission is to empower, educate, and assist Medicare-eligible individuals, their families, and caregivers through objective outreach, counseling, and training to make informed health insurance decisions that optimize access to care and benefits.

With this grant, NEI3A will continue to serve as the central source of information about the SHIP program and provide educational materials and tools to help SHIPs nationally achieve their mission. This work is conducted with the involvement of national partners, particularly the Senior Medicare Patrol National Resource Center at NEI3A and the Medicare Rights Center, a national, nonprofit consumer service organization. Since 1989, the Medicare Rights Center has worked to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling, educational programs, and public policy initiatives (www.medicarerights.org). Other national partners under this new grant will include experts in the field of aging and disabilities at ADvancing States (www.advancingstates.org), the National Council on Aging (www.ncoa.org), and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (www.n4a.org).

NEI3A has operated the SHIP TA Center since 2014 and is a private, not-for-profit corporation serving Northeast Iowa. NEI3A coordinates services for older individuals, caregivers, and people with disabilities to maintain the independence they desire.

(This grant is #90SATC0002 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington DC.)